Machine and method of making bags



Jul 9, .1940.

E. E. LAKSO ,2 6,965

MACHINE AND METHOD OF MAKING BAGS Filed April 28, 1936 9 Sheefcs-Sheet 1INVENTOR [/NO 5. Z/MSO ATTORNEYS M 9, 1940, E. E. LAKso 2,206,965

MACHINE AND METHOD OF MAKING BAGS 1 i Filed April 28, 1936 9Sheets-Sheet ,2

INVENTOR E/NO E. LAKSO ATTQRNEYS July 9, 1940. E. E. LAKs'o 2,206,965

' MACHINE AND ME'IHOD OF' MAKING BAG-S FiledApril'28, 195 6 9Sheets-Sheet 3 ml 'bu III :ll l

INVENTOR V E/NO E. ZAKSO ATTO R N EYS y 9, 1940. E. E. LAKSO 2,206,965

MACHINE AND METHOD OF MAKING BAGS Flled Aprll 28 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR El/VO E. liq/(SO ATTO RNEYS y-9, 1940. E. E. LAKso MACHINEJXNDMETHOD OF MAKEIING BAGS Filed April 28, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 lllllllllllllllll I v LNVENTOR f/NO E'LAKSO BY v a ATTORNEYS y 1940 E. E.LAKSO MACHINE AND METBQD 0F MAKING BAGS Filed April 28,1936 9Sheets-Sheet e ow m5 8 v w; M v o s an W5 N 4 MW 0 o w L m E m mtwc w: 1g w M 1 3 we 8 m 7 Sq M mm m QJ .k. Q v mm v Q g 3 4 8N m 2 a 1 mgrhkivik @1 mfi w fihnnh ii k3 N N mm NS July9, 1940.

E. E. LAKSO MACHINE AND METHOD OF MAKING BAGS Filed April 28, 1936 9Sheets-Sheet 7 qmb INVENTOR /NO ELAKSO July 9, 1940. E. E. LAKSO2,206,965

MACHINE AND METHOD OF MAKING BAGS Filed April 28, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 8I INVENTOR [/NO 5 LAKSO ATTORNEYS E. E. LAKSO 9 0 m: R,V Y a 0K E e TflN h NZ R w W m MW I m M m %N NV w s 9 am, 5 m 7 G B m o l m W F P o M ll I] w s. 1 D m AWN M M. \%N .H O m w \N 9N A. n i F l m w R. \l m 3ll|||.| M

o v o w mm m .Q y 0 Patented July 9, 1940 2,200,905 v MACHINE Ann METHODor MAKING sacs Eino E. Lakso, Fitchburg, Mass, ass'ignor, by mesneassignments, to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application April 28, 1936, Serial No. 76,778

(Cl. 93-18) V 38 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus and] method of making bags fromsheet material in web form, and more particularly to-the advancing,assembling and sealing together of-a plurality of the webs.

The apparatus and method hereinafter described more in detail is adaptedparticularly for making a bag of the type disclosed in the C..- W. VogtPatent 2,171,717, issued September 5, 1939', in which the web sectionforming one wall of the bag is longer than that forming the oppositewall, and the excess material is folded to form a pleat which may beopened along its fold line and serve for filling or as a dispensinspout.

It will be obvious that although certain features of the inventionrelate particularly to the means employed for forming said pleat, otherfeatures are useful and important in forming a I bag which does not havesuch a spout.

In carrying out my invention a plurality of webs is brought intojuxtaposition and sealed together along opposite edges to form acollapsed bag preferably with infolded sides" and preferably sealedacross both ends, .so that the resulting bag is sealedv shut incollapsed condition and so that the interior will be protected againstany contamination during shipment and storage prior to filling.

As one important feature of the invention the sealing is effected by theapplication of heat and pressure, and this sealing may be effectedeither with or without the use of a separate adhesive, depending uponthe character of the .material used. There is preferably employed asheet materiai such for instance as that made of a chlorinated rubbercompound and sold der to locate the position of the spout or otherfilling or dispensing opening during the ad vancing of the webs.

As a further ieature'means are provided for sealing the seam underneaththe spout the main sealingoperation.

The invention involves various other imporprior to tant features andmany important advantages.

which-will be apparent from a consideration of the specific formhereinafter described or will be pointed out in the description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying. drawings illustrating amachine embodying-my invention and adapted for carrying out my improvedmethod, said drawings also illustrating an alternative form in whichcertain of the features may be embodied.

In these drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine with the rolls of the websemployed in position,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the main portion of themachine and on a somewhat under the trade name pliofilm, layers of whichmay be sealed together by-the application of heat and pressure andwithout the need of any other adhesive.

The sealing is efiected in such a way that the contents of the bag whenthe latter is filled is not exposed to the adhesive, if such beemployed.

As a further feature means are employed for infolding the side walls ofthe bag to form the latter in a fiat state and to seal the ends and.

sever the collapsed bags in the sealed condition. As a further featuremeans areemployed for substantially completely removing or excluding airfrom the interior of the bag prior to the sealing,

As a further feature means are employed for giving a relatively longercontact period of the heat sealing elements across the ends wheresealing roller and forming anvil thin the tube larger scale,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the oppositeside of themachine and on a slightly larger scale than Fig. i,

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line H of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is of Fig. 2, certain of the parts being broken away,

Figs. 6, land 8 are vertical transverse sections on the lines 65-8, Tiland 8-3 respectively of Fig. 5,

Figs. 9, 1o, 11 and 12 are vertical transverse sections on the lines%-9, lit-46, ll-ii and l2-l2 respectively of Fig. 2,

, Fig. 13 is an enlarged transverse vertical section similar to aportionof Fig. 12, the uppe rotor being in elevation,

Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken on the lineHL-lt of Fig-12, but

a horizontal section on the line 5-5 showing theheated lugs of the spotsealer ad- I vanced approximately 20 from the position shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 14a is a fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the impressions madeby the spot sealing lugs and scoring bar shown in Figs. 13 and 14,

Fig. 15 is a vertical longitudinal section similar to Fig. 14, butwith'the spot sealer advanced approximately 1&0" from theposition shownin Fig. 2, a

Fig. 16 is a vertical transverse s'ectionthrough the seam sealingmechanism, the bag severing mechanism and parts of the drivingmechanism, said section being taken on the line lB-lt of Fig. 2,

Fig. 17 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 16, but on a larger scaleand showing the seam in place,

' Fig. 18 is a sectional detail on the line lS-Il of Fig. 17,

' distorted,

Fig. '19 is a section on the line IS-l9 of Fig. 2 and showing the pullrollers,

Fig. is a sectional detail similar to a portion of Fig. 19, but on alarger scale,

Fig. 21 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 and showing furtherdetails of the cross sealing mechanism,

Fig. 22 is an end elevation .of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig.21,

Fig. 23 is a sectional detail on a larger scale taken on the line 23-43of Fig. 21,

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary diagram of the tube showing the relativepositions of the cross sealing, the spot seals and the spout formingpleat,

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the completed sealed bag afterseverance along the dot and dash line shown in Fig. 24 and with thepleat partially Fig. 26 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2, butshowing other and additional features which may be employed,

Fig. 27 is a section on the line 2'I-2'l of Fig. 26,

Fig. 28 is a detail in plan of certain of the 'parts shown in Figs. 26and 2'7, and

.Fig. 29 is a fragmentary diagram of a portion of the web cut by themechanism shown in Figs.

26, 2'7 and 28.

The operating parts and the material to be operated upon are supportedby a main frame which for convenience of manufacture may include asub-base 30, a main base 3| and a pair of side frames 32. These may berigidly secured in any suitable manner. The main base at one end carriesa pair of bracket arms 35 adapted to support the mandrel or arbor 31 fora roll A of web material such as pliofilm or other heat sealing materialand which may be a single ply of the material or may be laminated orcoated.

Carried by the main frame 3| there is a pair of brackets 38 and 39connected together at their upper ends by a cross bar 40. The bolts I Iwhich connect the brackets to the cross bar may be shouldered and heldin place by nuts 42 and they serve as arbors or mandrels for a pair ofrolls B and C. The rolls may be held against endwlse movement by collarsor flanges 43 on the outer or free ends of the mandrels. The roll B isof pliofilm or other heat scalable material, while the roll 0 is ofnon-heat scalable material such as paper. The web material on the roll0, when used in making the specific bag hereinafter described, may besomewhat wider than the material on the roll B.

Any suitable means may be employed for preventing the free rotation ofthe rolls A, B and C,

but permitting the rotation upon the proper pull on the material. Merelyas an example, I have shown a brake for preventing free rotation of theroll A. This includes a pair of curved clamping brake members or shoes44 and 46 bearing upon a drum 46 secured to thearbor 31 so as to rotatetherewith. The shoes and 45 are pressed to- 4 gether by a spring 41, thetension of which may be adjusted by rotation of the threaded stud 49.-

One of the' brake shoes may have an extension pressed against a stop 56on the bracket 36 so that the brake shoes cannot rotate with the drum.

By control of the compression of the spring 41,

' the desired amount of drag may be imparted to the brake mechanism;

For preventing free rotation of the rolls B and C cross head slides 6|may be mounted on the cross bar in and each slide may be provided withgressively as the latter advances, and thus proa pin 52 engaging theperiphery of the correspending roll of material. The slides may beconnected to weights 53 by flexible cords 54" ing the webs intosuperposed relationship, and

sealing them together to form the tube which is cut into sections toform the bags.

The web delivered from the roll A is very much wider than the websdelivered from either of the other two rolls, and-is employed to formnot only one fiat side of the bag, but also the two opposed ini'oldedsides. This web is delivered over a roller 66 (see Fig. 2) carried byextensions of the side frames 32, and then passes beneath the mechanismwhich brings together the other two webs and forms the tuck or pleatwhich is to become the spout of the bag. After passing over the roller56 it is progressively formed into a substanti'ally U--shaped ortrough-like contour by a forming shoe 59 which is supported by the underside of a plate 66 resting upon the upper flanged;

sides of the frame members 32. In order to maintain proper alignment ofthis forming shoe or mandrel, the plate 60 is provided with a groove 6|(see Fig. 9) into which the upper side of the mandrel or shoe is fitted.v

'Iheshoe or mandrel 58 beyond its point of support is provided with apair of fingers 62, 62 which serve to turn the upper edges of thechannel-shaped web inwardly (Figs. 5 and 6). The fingers are providedwith depending guard plates 63, 63 which hold the web A inslidingrelationship with the outer opposite sides of the shoe or mandrel 59.

The web A in U-shape and with inwardly turned upper margins advancesalong the shoe to the opposite end of the latter and there the oppositeparallel upwardly extending side walls engage with fingers 64, 64 (Fig.7) mounted on supports 65 carried by a cross bar 66 secured to the sideframe members 32. These fingers fold inwardly the side walls of thechannel-shaped webprogressively bring the upper inturned edges and theflat bottom of the channel-shaped web nearer The non-heat together andeventually into directly superposed relationship.

The fingers 64,64 may be at the same elevation if the bag to be made issquare or is rectangular with the width greater than the height, viewingthe tube in the position in which it is being produced to form the bag.If the tube is to be of greater height than width, then the tuckerfingers should be at slightly difierent elevations as indicated in Fig.'I so that they will cause the two infolded pleats to overlap ratherthan directly abut.

The web in this folded condition and with the other sheets appliedthereto as hereinafter described passes aroimd a drum 61 and is pulledat auiniform speed by a pair of driven gripping scalable materialhereinafter referred to as the web C-passes around a guide pin or roller13 and thence around a roller ll which preferably is provided with alayer 12 of compressible material, such as rubber. This roller H ismounted on a shaft 13 driven by a gear ll meshing with a gear (Fig. 3)on the shaft 11 of a glue roller 16 mounted in a glue pot I3. Thesurface of the glue roller is preferably provided with cross scores orknurls a few thousandths of an inch deep and closely spaced so I:

that when the glue roller is rotated the major portion of the glue maybe scraped from the periphery by means of a conductor bar 18 leavingonly sufiicient glue to fill the cross grooves or knurls.

By the term glue I mean to include any form of adhesive which mayproperly secure together the webs B and C.*

Suitable means are providedwhereby the (le may be employed for thispurpose, but that shown involves the use of a movable glue pot withtheglue roller 76 carried thereby. As shown the shaft ll of the glue rolleris mounted on the walls of the glue pot and. the glue pot is mounted toslide horizontally to bring the glue roller into or out of engagementwith the sheet passing around the roller 1!. For moving the glue pot.there is provided an eccentric 8| (Figs. 2 and 4) mounted on a shaft 82which latter is journaled in exten- 5 sions of the side frames 82. Aneccentric strap 84 encircles the eccentric and is connected to anadjustable forked link 85 which may detachably engage a pin 86 carriedby lugs on the end of the .glue pot. By rotating the shaft 82 by meansof a handle or pin 83 the pressure of the glue roller against the web Cmay be varied, or

the glue roller may move entirely out of engagement with the web. It isnot essential that any large range of movement be provided and in factit need not be so great as to move the gear 75 out of engagement withthe gear 14. If it is desired to remove the glue pot and its roller fromthe machine, the link 85 may be swung out of engagement with the pin 86,thus completely freeing the glue pot.

The web C, after receiving the coating, layer or narrow strips ofadhesive, is broughthnto surface-contact with the web B and the two passtogether around the idler roller 81, whereby a laminated sheet isformed. This idler roller may be slightly shorter than the width of theweb B, and the latter, as previously noted, may be slightly narrowerthan the web C. Thus any adhesive on the marginal edges of th'e web Cwill not come in contact with the roller 81.

The laminated web BC then passes over a driven roller 88 which preferabyhas a rubber or.

other readily compressible facing layer 88. This roller 88 is mounted ona shaft 98 having a driving bevel pinion 88a (Fig. 3) secured thereto.

Beneath and closely adjacent to this roller 88 there is provided agrooved roller 80 '(Figs. 2 and 11) mounted for free rotation within themandrel or forming shoe 58 and adjustable. toward and from the roller88. As shown particularly. in Fig. 11 the walls of the mandrel carr'yapin 92,

, the end portions of which are eccentric whereby upon rotating the pinthe axis may bemoved toward and from the axis of the roller 88,. The

roller- 9| is rotatable upon this normally stationarypin 92 by ball orother substantially frictionless bearings.

V from the roller 8i and cause it to pass over said plate. The oppositeedges of this plate are undercut as shown particularly in Fig. .8 sothat vided a rotor 88 having two peripherally extend- By means of theeccentric the spacing between the rollers 81- and 88 may the intumededges of the sheet A may pass therebeneath and slightly spaced from thelaminated web BC. The relative widths of the webs BC and of thechannel-shaped web A will also be apparent from this figure.

The plate 88 is of approximately the ,same width as the web B and themarginal edge portions of the plate 83 prevent the edge portions of theweb C which have adhesive on theunder side from directly contacting withthe intumed edges of the channel-shaped web A.

The laminated web BC is maintained in flat position as it advances fromthe roller 88 by means of a plate 84 (Fig. 8) mounted on a shoe 85 whichin turn is mounted on a cross bar 86 carried by one of the side frames32 (Fig. 5). The shoe maybe slid lengthwise along thecross bar and awayfrom the sheets to facilitate'the threading up of the machine,particularly with mined point on the upper side of the .bar 86.

The outer peripheral speed of the roller 88 is I somewhat greater thanthe peripheral speed of the rollers 68 and 68 which advance thecombinedwebs-A, B and C, and therefore the laminated web BC is advanced at afaster rate than the web A. As a result of this faster-travel there is aperiodic accumulation of the laminated web BC in the form of a loop.Each loop as formed'is flattened or folded down to make the pleat on thebag wall and which serves as the spout.

In order to predetermine the location of the loops the laminated web BCis first brought in contact with and firmly secured to the inturnededges of the web A at spaced points. For accomplishing this result thereis provided the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 and more particularly in Figs.12 to 15.

Above the laminated web BC there is proing lugs constituting heatershoes 88 in transverse alignment for pressing localized areas of thelaminated web. BC to the underweb A,

these areas being adjacent to opposite edges of 50 the webs andindicated at 980 in Fig. 1421. The rotor 88 has a heating element I08which may be provided with electric conductors which will delivercurrent t e heating element through the rotation of th tter. suclrelectric c ducting means, I have shown the heating ele nt in Fig. 12 asprovided with conductors I81 leading to separate collector rings I82.which are engaged by brushes 103, these brushes being connected to theopposite terc0 minals of a suitable source of electrical energy.

This rotor 88 with its shoes constitutes a spot sealer and is rotatablymounted upon a pair of stub shafts I84, I85 and is rotated 'by means of.a pinion I06. .The spot sealer may be vertically 65 adjusted bymounting thestub shafts in bear-' ings I01 which maybeforced downwardlyto the desired extent and against the action of springs by adjustingscrews. 1

Directly beneath the, spot sealer there is pro- 7 videdcooperating'means' against which the laminated webs are pressed by theheated lugs 88 and whichalso coo'perates in forming a score line in thelaminated web 'B-C intermediate of the edges of the latter. As shownparticularly in Merely as an example of Fig. 13 the forming shoe 59 isprovided with a shaft I08 journaled in a pairof ball bearings I99 andprovided at its ends and on the outer sides of the shoe 59 with a pairof rollers H0. These may be held in place upon opposite ends of the stubshaft by screws III. At the center of the shaft and between the ballbearings there is provided a roller H2 which has an annular compressiblering H3. Thismay be secured in place in any suitable manner, as forinstance by means of bevel faced washer H4 and rivets H5. 7

The rollers H are provided with similar compressible peripheral rims orcollars. As the spot sealer may be adjusted toward and from the rollersH0 the lugs may be caused to press the laminated web against theinturned edges of the web A to bring the superposed heat scalablematerials A and B into'direct contact withthe proper amount of heat and.the proper amount of pres- 'sure to firmly bond them together, and theheated shoes 99 will be prevented from direct contact with the pliofllm.The result of this spot sealing is to connect the three webs together atpoints adjacent to opposite edges'and spaced apart to distances equal tothe peripheral path of the end surfaces of the heating lugs 99. Aspreviously noted two such spot sealed, areas are indicated at 990 inFig. 141:.

The rotor 98 is also provided with means for scoring the upper web 3-0transversely along lines spaced apart along the length of the web.

The two lugs 99 carry a transverse scoring plate extent inrespect to aflat surface of the forming.

shoe 59 as the loop is pressed down to form a pleat. It serves, by itsown weight, to press the laminated web B-C downwardly and prevent anyaccumulated excess material from passing therebeneath at any differentrate than that of the channel shaped web A. The loop pressing roller H8preferably has annular flanges on its ends (Fig. Its-position maybeadjusted along the path of movement of the webs in accordance with thedesired height of the pleat to be formed. As shown .in Fig.15 a loop inthe laminated web B-C may graduallyform while the spot sealing lugs 99are traveling through the upper portion of their path of movement, andthis loop will gradually increase in height until the 'spotsealinglugs-act to press the 'webs together and onto the rollers H9. At thattime theloop will have reached substantially the shape shown in Fig. 14.As the webs have been spot sealed together and as the upper web has beentransversely scored, the continuation of the material will cause theaccumulated loop to narrow up to a pleat and this pleat to be foldedover upon the score line Ilia, and as'shown at the right of Fig. 15. Assoon as the pleat has passed beneath the roller H8, another loop willbeginto form and will increase until. the spot sealer again connectstogether the layers, and the next accumulated loop will be laid down asanother pleat. The

' therewith and supporting the gear I2I.

. the webs therebeneath. As sho Fig. 2 the lifting means includes a.ever I29 fixed rate oi! travel of the materials, the amount of materialin each loop, and the spacing of the loops along the length of the tubewill be proportional to the length of the desired bag and the width ofthe desired pleat for each bag.

After passing under the roller I I8 whereby the folded pleat is formed,the three superposed webs pass to mechanism which forms the continuousseals along the opposite edges and between the webs A and B. The spotsealer hereinbefore described seals only those portions of the sideedges which lie beneath the pleat, and which therefore would not be asreadily heated and sealed by the application of heat and pressurethrough the pleat. The continuous side sealers are shown particularlyinFigs. 16, 17 and 18 and the position is indicated in Figs. 2 and 5.

The gear I 06 of the spot sealer meshes with a driving gear I20 whichlatter also drives a gear I2I of the seam sealer. seam sealer is verysimilar in niany respects to the spot sealer except that it makescontinuous seals rather than spot seals and does not make any transversescore line. The upper element of the seam sealer includes a rotor H9mounted on the stub shaft I23 as well as on a stub shaft I22 inalignment The rotor H9 has annular flanges at the ends serving as thepressing elements, and these are heated by an annular heating elementencircling the rotor II 9' between said end flanges. The means forconducting the current to the heating element is indicated in Fig. 16,but need not be described as it may be substantially identical with thatemployed in conducting heat to the spot sealer as shown in Fig. 12.

The peripheral surfaces of the two annular flanges of the rotor H9-maybe grooved to concentrate the heat and pressure along a pair/of narrowlines rather than along a wider area. Below the rotor H9 there isprovided a co-' acting element which may be similar in all respects tothat shown in Fig. 13- except that the center part coacting with thescoring blade may be omitted. This is illustrated in Fig. 17 and it isthought that detailed description is unnec- ,essary in view of thedescription of the construction shown in'Fig. 13.

For driving the spot sealer and seam. sealer the shaft of the gear 120may be provided with a bevel pinioh I24 meshing with a bevel pinion I 25on a vertical drive shaft I26 supported-in brackets I21 and I 28 on oneof the side frames as shown in Figs. 3 and 16. 4

The machine may be readily threaded up without lifting the spot sealeras the machine may be stopped with the sealing lugs in anupward.

position, but as the sealing surfaces of the rotor H9 are continuous itis desirable to provide means for lifting this elementand holding it inraised position during threading up or when the machine is stopped, toprevent overheating of particulaijy in on a shaft in mounted in bearingscfin the cross bar 66 which as previously noted also carries the tuckermembers for the side walls of e advancing tube. An upwardly extendinglev r arm flxed to the shaft I39 isconnected by a pin I32 to a lockinglever I" which lever has a depending lug I35 movable into or out ofengagement \with the side of the bar 66 opposite to the shaft I30. Thelever I 34 is normally in raised position as shown in Fig. 2, and thelever I29 is swung counterclockwiseby a spring Iilsoas to hold the seamsealer in lowered position, the shaft of the seam sealer being mountedin the substantially horizontal arms of said bracket. By pressing downon the outerfree end of the lever I34, the lug I36 will ride down ontothe outer side of the bar 66, thereby rotating the shaft I30 in aclockwise direction and compressing the spring I33. When the lever I34reaches its lower limiting position, its engagement with the bar 66 willprevent the return movement of the lever I29, and the seam sealer willbe locked in raised position. To return it to operative position it ismerely necessary to lift the outer end of the lever I34.

As the. superposed webs pass beneath the flanges of the heated rotor II9they likewise pass over the ends of the pleat F, and the application ofthe heat and pressure, weld, .fuse or cement the plioflhn web B to theinturned edges of the channel-shaped web A and form a continuous tube inextended condition and around the mandrel or shoe 59. As this tubepasses beyond the end of the mandrel, the tuckers 64 press in theintermediate portions of the-side walls of the tube, and the'height ofthe tube is gradually decreased until it is in fully collapsed orflattened condition. The tube reaches this condition as it comestangential to the drum 61, and as it passes around the drum, all ofthe'air is squeezed out. To make the infolding a more gradual operation,and therefore easier, the tuckers may be longer and the drum 6'! spacedto a greater distance from the side sealers than is shown in thedrawings.

While the flattened or collapsed tube is passingaround the drum 61, asealing mechanism comes into operation which seals the tube transverselyat spaced points along the length thereof. As shown particularly in Fig.2, the drum is rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft I36, and on theperiphery of the drum are compressible pads H36 preferably of rubber andmounted in dove tailed grooves. The periphery of the drum is themultiple of a length of a completed bag in collapsed equal distancesapart, the arcuate distance being the length of an individual collapsedbag.

On the shaft I36 of the drum 6! there are provided sprocket wheels I39which engage a pair of endless chains I4I carrying cross seam sealersI40. These seam sealers are spaced apart along the length of the chainso as to register in succession with the successive compressible padsI88. Each seam sealer is provided with a pair of rollers I42 carried bya saddle casting I43 and each includes an electric heating element I 45. In'order to control the amount of heat rendered applicable for thesealing operation, each sealing element is connected in series with aheat control element I45 as shown particularly in Fig. 23.

- drops below the predetermined point.

Each heating element and its control element has terminals connected tobrushes riding on the periphery of collector plates I46. The collectorplates conformin contour to the general path defined by the chain, andthe current is delivered to one of these plates andtaken off from theother in any suitable manner. As the plates are outside of one of thesprockets, it is preferable to provide the sprockets with recessesthrough which the connections may extend while the chain is in contactwith the sprockets.

In order to insure proper and intimate pres sure contact of the heatedsheet across the collapsed tube at the area corresponding to that of thepad I38, there is provided a guide member I41 with a curved surfacesubstantially concentric with a portion of the periphery of the drum andalong which the rollers I42 may travel while pressing the heater againstthe tube. This guide member may be carried by a pair of shafts I50supported in a bracket I5I. The guide may be directly secured to thelower shaft and to a plate I49 secured to the upper shaft I50. Thesprockets are rotatably; mounted on the ends of these shafts. By placingone or more shims between the guide member I" and the plate I49, the

placing of the guide member in respect to the drum may be varied to givethe desired pressure of the heating element against the tube on the padI38. The adjustment may be secured in various other ways, for instanceby adjusting the bracket I5I.

Preferably each cross -heater I40 is provided with recesses I46a uponopposite sides, as shown particularly in Fig. 22, and which serve toform corresponding relief portions on the cross seals at their centersto prevent strain. These relief portions serve to produce bags which areless likely to leak due to internal pressure when they have becomefilled, due to the distribution of strain where the infold joins thecross seal.

To drive the drum 61 the shaft of the latter is provided with agear I54which meshes with a pinion I52 (Fig. 1) one. transverse shaft I53. Thelatter is provided with a bevel driving pinion I53a. (Fig. 3). By thisdrive the drum is rotated and advances with the tube while clamping thelatter tightly against the outside of the drum and the collapsed tube isdelivered between the pull rollers 66 and es.

If the 'infolded portions of the side of the tube overlap as previouslyindicated, the feed roller 68 is provided with a peripheral groove toaccommodate for the increased thickness as indicated in Figs. 19 and 20.The roller 66 is mounted on a shaft I55 which is provided with.

a pinion I55a and is mounted in a bracket or' housing I56 secured to oneof the side frames 32 (Fig. 19). The pinion I55a meshes with the pinionI510. on the shaft I5? supporting the lower pull roller 6%. This lastmentioned shaft has a gear 69a which is driven by the cutter mechanismwhich subdivides the tube into successive sections and intermediate theopposite side edges of each cross seal. As shown it meshes with the gearI58a on a shaft I58, and the latter has a bevel pinion I60 meshing witha bevel pinion 200 on the vertical shaft I26 which drives the side seamsealers as shown in Fig. 16.

The shaft I58 also carries a sprocket ISI, a cutter head I62, a sprocketsleeve I63, a collar i64, a clutch member I and. a hand wheel I66 (Fig.16). The clutch serves for disconnecting the operating parts of themachine from the source of power and permits the machine to'be readilyturned over by hand. By disengaging.

the clutch, the machine may be turned over without turning over themotor reducing gears, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The cutter head I62 which is mounted onthe shaft I56 is provided with arubber insert I61 16). The rubber insert serves to feed the tube afterleaving the pull rollers 66 and 66. I

' The pinion I63 on the shaft I58 meshes with a pinion I10 ona shaftI'll which carries the lower roller I13 cooperating with the cutterhead. This roller is provided with a knife block I14 mounted'in theperiphery so as to oppose the cutting edge of the knife I58 at the pointof severance of the tube. Any other suitable form of transverse cuttingmechanism may be employed for subdividing the collapsed tube intocompleted bags. The shaft I1I carries a bevel pinion I15 which drivesthe shaft 202.

A second pair of feed rollers are provided for delivering the successivecompleted bags from the machine after they are severed, and thisdelivery mechanism is preferably designed to advance the bags at ahigher rate of speed than that of tube formation. As shown particularlyin Fig. 2 the frame of the machine supports a pair of shafts I18, I11,the first mentioned shaft having a sprocket I18, a gear I18 and asegmental roller I80. On the rear end of the shaft there is provided aworm I8Il. The sprocket I18 is connected with the sprocket I6I on theshaft.

I58 by means of a chain I82. The sprockets I18 and I6I are of the samediameter, and therefore the two shafts I58 and I18 will turn with thesame number of revolutions per minute, but the distance from the centerof the shaft I18 to the line of bag travel is greater than the distancefrom the center line of the shaft I58 to the line of tube travel. Thesegmental roller I80 comes into engagement with the bag at substantiallythe instant at which the bag is severed from the tube, and due to thegreater radius of this segmental roller the bag when severed will beadvanced at a faster speed than that of tube formation and ii the bagmoves out of contact withthis ro ler. v

Cooperating with the segmental roller I80 is a lower supporting rollerI83 which is mounted on the shaft I11. This roller preferably has arubber or other yielding surface, and its shaft is provided with apinion I88 meshing with the gear I18 on the shaft I18. The action of thesegmental roller I80 and the supporting roller I88 gives to the severedbag such an acceleration that the bag will travel onto a take-off orstacking conveyer. To prevent the bag from being I thrown too far theremay be provided a guard h as I85 (Fig. 3). Any convenient means may beprovided for driving the take-oil conveyer. Merely as an example I haveshown the conveyer being driven through. the worm I8I on the shaft I18.A worm wheel I88 engages this worm and is fixed to a vertical shaft'iournaled in a bracket I81 on the frame 32. The lower end of the shaftis provided with a worm I 88- engaging a worm wheel I88 on a shaft Iwhich latter is provided with a pair of belt'pulleys I8I and endlessbelts I82 constituting the take-oil conveyer. These belts may be of anydesired length depending on the location of the station when the clutchI85 is engaged, the rotation of the sprocket I88 will cause rotation ofthe shaft I58 and the latter will drive the shaft I16 through thesprockets I8I and I18 and the connecting chain I82. The shaft I15 causesrotation of the shaft I11 through'the meshing gears I18 and I84.Similarly rotation of the shaft I58 causes rotation of the shaft "Ithrough the gears I58 and I10.

The bevel gear I 80 of the shaft I58 meshes with the bevel pinion 200,and thus drives the shaft I28, and the latter through the bevel pinionsI25 and I2! drives the stub shaft to which is attached the pinion I20.The latter drives the spot sealer and the side seam sealer.

The rotation of the shaft I1I with its bevel pinion I15 causes rotationof the shaft 202. and the latter through the various bevel gears shownin Fig. 3 rotates the shaft I58 of the trans verse seam sealer and theshaft 208 which operates the shaft 18 of the feed roller 1I.

Thus all of the'operating parts are driven in proper synchronism, and bythe proper selection of pitch diameters for the gears and sprockets andthe proper selection of the diameters of the various rotatable operatingunits, the three webs are drawn into the machine, the webs BC are pastedtogether, the webA is brought to channelshaped form, the web 13 is spotsealed to the inturned edges of the channel, the transverse pleats asingle drive so that all of the parts and steps.

are kept in proper synchronism and themachine when started will runcontinuously without manual control or manual operation of any of the Prts.

In the specific construction of bag produced by the machine abovedescribed only one side will be opaque due to the web C of paper orother non-heat sealable material. In some cases it is desirable toreinforce or cover all four sides of the dual bag by non-heat-sealableand possibly relatively opaque material. In Figs. 26 to 28 I have showna modification of the machine which permits this to be done. The mainframe of the machine is provided with an auxiliary frame 2I0 serving tosupport a roll D of paper or other s I iilar material, and the roll A issupported on abracket 2 on the main frame. This bracket also supports aglue not 212, and the paper passes over idler rollers 2I8 and 2 to aroller 2I5 juxtaposed to a glue roller 2I8. The surface of the paper isthus covered with adhesive and after leaving thezroller 2I5 it isbrought in surface contact with the web A as the two sheets pass over anidler roller 2I1 on the way to the'roller' 58 of the main body of themachine.

In some cases it is desirable that the opaque web D be provided with awindow d through which the contents of the bag maybe viewed, and withwindows (2 registering with the end of the bag to be formed. These areshown in Fig. 29. Any suitable punching mechanism may be employed forproducingthese apertures. As

"shown, the webD passes over a templet plate H8 and above this is apunching. plate 2I8 guided on vertical rods 220 actuated bylinks 22L TheThe construction and method illustrated in Figs. 26 to 29 inclusive inwhich the infolded walls are laminated and the outer lamination lattermay have eccentric straps at their lower ends engaging an eccentric 222which causes the up and down movement of the punching plate.

As the web must be punched while traveling, it is desirable that thepunch plate andtemplet plate move back and forth in the direction oftravel of the sheet material. For this purpose the templet plate whichcarries the guide rods 220 may itself slide on horizontal guide rods 223and may have a depending roller 224 engaging a cam groove in a cam 225.The latter may be actuated by spiral gears from the shaft 226 whichdrives the shaft 228 carrying the eccentrics-by means of gears 221. Thetiming and the shape of the cam groove in the cam 225 are such thatwhile the punch is passing through and back out of the paper the templetplate and punch will be traveling with the paper and at the'same speed.When the punch rises above the paper the cam carries the templet plateand punch in the opposite direction, and the direction of move= me'nt isagain reversed before the punch enters the paper the next time. Thetiming is also such that the openings d and (1 will be formed at pointsspaced apart along the length of the web D corresponding to the lengthof the completed bag which is to be produced. .Of course, the drivenparts of this mechanism must be in proper timed relationship 'to theremainder of the ma To get the proper timing of the punching mechanismthe sprocket 23l may be made circumferentially, adjustable in respectto'the shaft 226. To prevent thepunches from lifting the web oi thetemplet plate when the punches rise out of the sheet, there may beprovided a stripper plate 232 spaced from the templet plate to provide athin passage for the web D.

The conveyerfor the completed bags and which is somewhatdiagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 26 and between the glue pot 282 andthe shaft 18!, is somewhat different in detail from that shown in Fig.2, but as such details do not constitute any portion of my presentinvention fur;-- ther description appears to be unnecessary.

It will be understood that the web D is slightly narrower than the web Aso that the web D will be folded to channel shape, but will be turned into a limited extent to abut but not overlap the edges of the web B. Thusthe heat sealable'material A will come in contact with and be sealed tothe surface of the heat scalable material of the web B, and the edgeportions of the web C to which adhesive has been applied may be glued tothe edges of the Web ID.

is so formed as to permit the direct sealing together of the innerlaminations of the infolded portions in narrow transversely extendingareas,

is claimed in my divisional application 329,422,

filed April 13, 1940.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. Anapparatus for forming a tube of flexible material, including meansfor delivering a web of material and progressively folding it tosubstantially channel shape rectangular in crosssection with inturned'marginal portions, and a pair of opposed rollers, one within said tubeand beneath said marginal portions for progressively securing the edgesof a second web to said marginal portions. I

2. An apparatus for forming a tube of flexible material, including meansfor delivering a web of material and progressively folding it to sub-=stantially channel shape rectangular in crosssection with inturnedmarginal portions, means for progressively securing the edges of asecond web to said marginal portions, and means for thereafterprogressively infoldingthe side walls of the channel-shaped web tocollapse the tube and expel air therefrom. -i

3. 'An apparatus for forming a tube of flexible material, which includesmeans for progressively advancing two webs of sheet material at difierent rates of travel, and means for forming transverse pleats in one ofsaid webs along lines spaced apart lengthwiseof the web 4. Anapparatusfor forming a tube of flexible sheet material, which includesmeansfor'progressively advancing two webs of sheet material lengthwisein superposedpositions but at different rates of speed, and" means forsecuring together the marginal edges of the two webs at spaced points.5. An apparatus for forming a tube of flexible s'heet material, whichincludes means for progressively advancing two webs of sheet materiallengthwise in superposed positions but at differcut rates of speed,means for'securing together the marginaledges of the two webs at spacedpoints, and means for forming transverse pleats in the faster'travelingweb between successive spaced points.

' 6. An. apparatus for forming a tube of flexible sheet material,including means for advancing a web and progressively folding it tosubstantially channel shape, means for advancing a second web at afaster rate, means for sealing the edges of the second web to the edgesofthe all By the use of features illustrated in Figs. 26 of, and meansfor folding down excess material so to 28 and used in connection withthe main features of the machine first described, a bag may be producedwhich will be completely lined with able material may all be sealedtogetherby the sealers l. The transverse cutter It. operates to severthe bag intermediate of the edges of the openings 11* wherethetransverse seam has been of the second mentioned web adiacent to each ofsaid. points to form transverse pleats.

sheet material, including means for advancing a web and progressivelyfolding it to substantially channel shape, means for advancing a.{second 7 web at a faster rate, means for sealingthe edges of thesecond web to the edges of the first web at spaced points-along thelength thereof, means for folding down excw of the second mentioned webadjacent to Mar said points to form transverse-pleats, and means forthereafter sealing together the edges of the webs between said pleatsand the next sealing .points to form a tube completely closed along theedges '7. An apparatus for forming a tubeoi flexible of the webs butwith transverse .pleats in the second mentioned web.

' 8. An apparatus for forming a tube of flexible sheet material,including means for advancing a pair of webs at difierent rates 01 speedand with the edges of one juxtaposed to the edges of the other, meansfor spot sealing the edges together at points spaced along the lengththereof, and means for forming pleats in the faster traveling web andoverlying the spot seals.

.9. Anlapparatus for forming collapsed sealed bags, which includes meansfor advancing a pair of webs with opposite edges juxtaposed, means.

for sealing together said juxtaposed edges to form a tube,.means forsealing the webs together transversely of the tube along lines spacedapart lengthwise of the tube, and means for severing the tube intosections along lines intermediate of the edges of the transverse sealedportions .to form collapsed bags sealed across both ends.

10. An. apparatus for forming collapsed sealed bags, including means forprogressively advancing a web of sheet material and bending it tosubstantially channel form, means for advancing a second web at a higherrate 'of speed with its edges juxtaposed to the edges of the firstmentioned web, means for spot sealing the juxtaposed edges together atpoints spaced along the length thereof, means for folding over theexcess material of the second mentioned web to form pleats overlying thespot seals, means for sealing together the remaining portions of thejuxtaposed edges to form a tube, means for infolding vthe side edges ofthe channel shaped web to collapse the tube, means for sealing togetherthe two webs along transverse lines spaced apart lengthwise of the tube,and means for severing the tube along transverse lines intermediate ofthe edges of the transverse sealed portions to form collapsed sealedbags.

11. An apparatus for forming a collapsed tube of sheet material,including a mandrel substantially rectangular in cross-section, meansfor advancing a web of sheet material and folding it to substantiallychannel shape around said mandrel and with infolded marginal edges,means for delivering a second web along said mandrel with its edgessuperposed to said infolded edges, an a sealing device including a rotorsupported by and disposed within said mandrel and a second rotorcooperating with the first one and having annular heated flanges c0-operating with said first mentioned rotor .for sealing together saidsuperposed edges.

12. An apparatus for forming a collapsed tube of sheet material,including a mandrel substantially rectangular in cross-section,means-for advancing a web of sheet material and folding it tosubstantially channel shape around said mandrel and with infoldedmarginal edges, means for deliver'ing a second web along said mandrel ata higher rate of speed with its edges superposed to said infolded edges,and a sealing device inrotor having heated flanges for pressing thesuperposed edges together at spaced points to form spot seals, and meansbeyond said sealing means for folding the excess material of the sec--ond mentioned web into a pleat overlying the spot seals.

14. An apparatus for forming a collapsed tube, including a mandrel,means for delivering web material along Opp te sides of the mandrel withthe edges of the. material juxtaposed, means for heating and pressingtogether the juxtaposed edges to form the tube closed along its sides,tuckers disposed beyond said mandrel for infolding portions of the wallsof the tube to collapse the latter, and a drum around which thecollapsed tube passes.

15. An apparatus for forming a collapsed tube, including a mandrel,means for delivering web material along opposite sides of the mandrelwith the edges of the material juxtaposed, means for heating andpressing together the juxtaposed edges to form the tube closed along itssides, tuckers disposed beyond said mandrel for inl folding portions ofthe walls of .the tube tocollapse the latter, a drum around which the001-* lapsed tube passes, and a member movable along an arcuate pathsubstantially parallel to the surface of the drum and coacting with saiddrum to apply heat and pressure to the collapsed tube transverselythereof to form transverse sealed areas.

16. An apparatus for forming a collapsed tube, including a mandrel,means for delivering web material along opposite sides of the mandrelwith the edges of the material juxtaposed, means for heating andpressing together the juxtaposed edges to form the tube closed along itssides, tuckers disposed beyond said mandrel for/infolding portions ofthe walls of the tube to collapse the latter, -a drum around which thecollapsed tube passes, a member movable along an arcuate pathsubstantially parallel to the surface of the drum and coacting with saiddrum to apply heat and pressure to the collapsed tube transverselythereof toiorm transverse sealed areas, and a scalable material, a pairof coacting elements for applying heat and pressure to the edges oi theheat scalable materials to form longitudinal seams, and a second pair ofcoacting elements for pressing together the sheets of heat sealable-material.,to iorm transverse seams.

18. The method of forming a tube, which ineludes advancing a web ofsheet material and progressively folding it to channel shape, advancinga second web with its edges juxtaposed to the edges. of the firstmentioned web, progressively sealing said edges together as the websadvance, thereafter infolding portions of the walls of the 'tube toprogressively collapse the latter, and

higher speed, and progressively sealingtogether the edges of the webs. v

20. The method of forming a tube with-transverse pleats across one wallthereof, which includes progressively advancing a pair of webs atdifferent speeds and with the edges. juxtaposed, spot sealing the edgestogether at spaced points, forming pleats in the web traveling at thehigher speed and adjacent to each spot seal, and thereafter sealingtogether the edges of the webs between the pleat and the next spot seal.21. The method of forming a tube with transverse pleats, which includesprogressively advancing a pair of webs at different speeds, formingtransverse pleats inthe web traveling at the higher speed, andprogressively sealing together the edges of the webs. 22. The method offorming a tube with transverse pleats, which-includes progressivelyadvancing a pair 01 webs at different speeds, forming transverse pleatsin the web traveling at the higher speed, progressively sealing togetherthe edges of the webs, and thereafter sealing the webs together alongtransverse spaced lines.

23. The method of forming a tube with transverse pleats, which includesprogressively advancing a pairof webs at diilerent speeds, formingtransverse pleats in the web traveling at the higher speed,progressivelysealing together the edges of the webs, thereaftersealingthe 'webs together along transverse spaced lines, and

thereatter subdividing the tube transversely into sections along linesspaced a predetermined distance from the successivetransverse pleats.

24. The method of forming a tube with transverse pleats, which includesprogressively advancing' a pair of webs at different speeds, formingtransverse pleats in the web traveling at the.

higher speed, progressiveLv sealing together the edges of the webs,thereafter sealing the webs together along transverse spaced lines, andthere- 1 after subdividing the tube transversely into seethe transverseV 25. The method of forming completely sealed bags in collapsedcondition, which. includes progressively sealing together the edges oi"a pair or .webs, infolding portions of the side wallsoftlally in,cross-section, means for" the resulting tube. pulling the tube around acurved surface .toexpel airfrom the interior of the tube, transverselysealing together the opposite walls of the tube whileinjcollapsed-condition, and thereafter subdividing thetube into ratesofspeed, forming one of the webs at spaced points along the length;thereof, and folding the material of the last menandcoactingwithsaidsections along lines intermediate of the oppositeedgesofthetransverseseals.

. 26. The methodof forming a tube withtransverse pleats, whichincludes-delivering a pairor webs in relationship and at differenttionedweb along saidscorelinestotormm sivepleats. H ztanapparatnsforformingacollapsedtube.

including a mandrel, means for delivering web material along we te sidesof the with the edges of -the material juxtaposed. means (or heating andtogether gthe" juxtaposed edges to form the tube closed alongits sides,adrum around-which the tube,

andarnember movablealong anarcuate patn thedrum pressuretofthecollapsedtube toforrn aseal.

- sure to the edges of the heat scalable materials tothecollapsedtubetransverselythere-- of to form transverse sealed areas.

28. An apparatus for forming a collapsed tube,

including a mandrel, means for delivering web material along oppositesides of the mandrel with the edges of the material juxtaposed, meansfor heating and pressing together the juxtaposed edges to form the tubeclosed along its sides, a, member presenting a curved surface and aroundwhich the collapsed tube passes, and a member .cooperating with saidfirst mentioned member" and presenting a surface movable in engagementwith the surface of the tube and at the same speed as that of the tubeto apply heat and 29; pparatus for forming a collapsed tube, including amandrel. means for delivering web material along-opposite sides of themandrel with the edges of the material juxtaposed, means for heatingandtogether the juxtaposed edges to form the tube closed along itssides, a

-material, means for prveiy advancing a second web of heat sealablematerial, and a pair of coacting elements for applying heat and prestoform longitudinal seams, one of said elements having a resilientsurface, and both of said elemenis having rolling contact withsaidmaterial.

'31. An apparatus for forming collapsed sealed bags, which includesmeans for advancing a pair'- of. webs with opposite edges juxtaposed,means for togethersaidjuxtaposed edges toform tions' along linesintermediate of the edges of;

of the for thereafter severing thetube'intosections. V

- 32. a tus for forming a collapsed tube sheet material, including amandrel substana web of ,sheet material and folding mandrel and withinfoldedmarginaledges, means for delivering a second web along saidmandrel with its edges to said infolded edges. andadeviceincludingarotorsupported y and eigfiof-said-tube,meansforfapplying'heat to'seal the webstogethsrwith theandalonptransversef lines spaced'apart lengflrwlse of the tube, and

the tube into sections. r a

" I mos. mm

